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FINDING EMPOWERMENT THROUGH ADVERSITY — by Catherine Morgan

When we are suffering it is very difficult, if not impossible, to see the light at the end of the tunnel. But, it is there. You will get through it. And, in time your wounds really will be healed.

Can something good come out of adversity? Often in the face of adversity, we are unable to see anything through our pain. The only thing we can think about, are questions. Why is this happening to me? How will I go on? How will I survive? These are all reasonable questions, and in the depth of your pain you will ask them, and more. But, there are no answers to these questions. Only after you realize this, will you be able to go on, and let go.

We can not turn away from our pain. It is very important that we feel all our feelings during these times of adversity and heartache. Denying our pain, or denying our feelings, will not benefit us in any way. In fact, it will only prolong our troubles. But, if we look at our situation, and face our problems head-on; we will triumph.

You may feel like you are losing the battle; but when you push through your battle, you come out on the other side the winner of your war. That is because you are empowered when you conquer life’s toughest battles. Only at these times of empowerment do we grow into the people we are meant to be. Think about that for a minute…Who would you be right now, if it wasn’t for the adversity you have been through in your life?

For me personally, I wish I had never had to go through many of the painful events of my life; loss, divorce, illness, betrayal, (just to name a few). But, I also know that I would not be who (or where) I am today, had I not. My past heartache, and my past pain, are what make me the compassionate person that I am today. And in retrospect, I don’t think I would want to be the kind of person, who knows no hardships. It’s because of these hardships that I appreciate every thing I have, even the little things that many people take for granted.

I can now see that my past adversity has truly been a blessing in my life. I don’t look forward to future adversity, however I know it will come. When it does come, I will have the knowledge of my past strength to help me overcome, and once again triumph.

My hope for everyone, is that they are able to one day look past their pain, to find their empowerment.

*This was cross-posted from a post I wrote back in January of 2007 for my first blog – Be The Change You Want To See In Yourself

There is a lot of stigma and misinformation surrounding eating disorders, and I imagine the biggest misconception about eating disorders is that it’s somehow the patient’s fault…But that couldn’t be further from the truth.  Since this week is National Eating Disorders Awareness Week, I thought I would dedicating this post to providing as much information and facts about this disease as possible.

From NEDAwareness Week…

Mission: Our aim of NEDAwareness Week is to ultimately prevent eating disorders and body image issues while reducing the stigma surrounding eating disorders and improving access to treatment. Eating disorders are serious, life-threatening illnesses — not choices — and it’s important to recognize the pressures, attitudes and behaviors that shape the disorder.

This year, NEDA asked everyone to do just one thing to help raise awareness and provide accurate information about eating disorders.

This is from Manolo for the Big Girl — Myths and Facts About Eating Disorders…

So how do we turn the mass of misinformation around? We educate ourselves. We learn what the latest research has to say and listen to the voices of recovery. We keep our ears, eyes, minds, and hearts open. And once we have educated ourselves, we talk.

Here are some the the facts and statistics about eating disorders.

From Eating Disorder Statistics — Mortality Rates…

• Eating disorders have the highest mortality rate of any mental illness
• A study by the National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders reported that 5 – 10% of anorexics die within 10 years after contracting the disease; 18-20% of anorexics will be dead after 20 years and only 30 – 40% ever fully recover
• The mortality rate associated with anorexia nervosa is 12 times higher than the death rate of ALL causes of death for females 15 – 24 years old.
• 20% of people suffering from anorexia will prematurely die from complications related to their eating disorder, including suicide and heart problems

From FamilyDoctor.org — Warning Signs of an Eating Disorder…

• Unnatural concern about body weight (even if the person is not overweight)
• Obsession with calories, fat grams and food
• Use of any medicines to keep from gaining weight (diet pills, laxatives, water pills)

More serious warning signs may be harder to notice because people who have an eating disorder try to keep it secret.  Watch for these signs:

• Throwing up after meals
• Refusing to eat or lying about how much was eaten
• Fainting
• Overexercising
• Not having periods
• Increased anxiety about weight
• Calluses or scars on the knuckle (from forced throwing up)
• Denying that there is anything wrong

From Psych Central — Eating Disorder Recovery (an in-depth Q&A)…

In honor of NEDA Week, I wanted to talk about the common obstacles on the road to eating disorder recovery and how individuals can overcome these obstacles.

If you’re struggling with an eating disorder, know that you can absolutely recover. It’s normal to experience setbacks and challenges. Everyone does.

Here is a very informative video about the facts about eating Disorders, with Lynn Grefe, CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association…

What role does stress play in your life?   Sadly, these days, stress is not a rare event for most of us.  Personally, I’m not sure I can even remember the last time I had a totally stress-free day. Can you?

Stress isn’t always a bad thing, but when stress becomes chronic it can suppress the immune system, cause high blood pressure, and even increase the risk of stroke and heart attack.  For this reason, it’s extremely important to learn how to recognize the warning signs of unhealthy levels of stress.  We need to recognize when stress is becoming a problem, before it has a chance to cause harmful physical and mental complications.

Would you know if your stress level was becoming unhealthy?  Here are some of the symptoms you may experience if you’re suffering with chronic stress…

• Muscle tension
• Physical weakness
• Poor memory
• Sweaty hands
• Fear
• Confusion
• Inability to relax
• Constant worry
• Shortness of breath
• Palpitations
• Upset stomach
• Poor concentration

When these symptoms are accompanied by ongoing stress, it’s time to consult with a medical professional.

[I know there are many people that think it's a sign of weakness to admit that stress, anxiety, or depression is getting the better of them...But the truth is, it's a sign of strength.  It takes a courageous person to recognize when it's time to reach out for help.]

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Did you know that 57.7 million Americans suffer with mental illness?  That’s 1 in 4 of us.  Chances are, if you’re not one of those four, you most likely know someone who is.  I’m not ashamed to admit that I’ve had my bouts with depression and anxiety over the years.  Thankfully, I always recognized when I needed to reach out for help, and when I did, I got it.

But because of the stigma associated with it, it’s not always easy for people to reach out for help. That’s why it is so important to shed light on this issue and help eliminate the stigma associated with mental illness.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and on May 18th bloggers were encouraged to come together through a Blog Party and help bring awareness to the issue of mental health.  The goal was to help educate the public, decrease stigma, and to discuss strategies for making lasting lifestyle changes to promote overall health and wellness.

Take a little time and visit some of the blogs that participated in the Mental Health Blog Party…

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Childhood obesity is taking a huge toll on the health our kids.  Diseases that in the past have only been seen in adults are (for the first time) being seen in children.  And these are serious medical conditions that can potentially reduce the life span of our children by up to 20 years.

It’s clear that something needs to be done to help children make healthier food choices and reduce their risk of life threatening illnesses.   Even the First Lady is getting involved, Michelle Obama recently announced her Let’s Move initiative to help solve the epidemic of childhood obesity.

We also need to address the emotional and psychological toll that obesity is taking on our children.  Living with obesity can dramatically effect a child’s self-esteem, and in many cases these children can also become severely depressed.

From Life Science – Childhood Obesity Takes Psychological Toll…

“Overweight kids are more likely to have depression and low self-esteem, to be teased or bullied, and to bully other children,” said Catherine Davis, associate professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia. “These can be serious problems for these children.”

That’s why it is so important to make sure that while helping our kids get to a healthy weight, we do everything in our power to protect their fragile psyches.

But how can we do that?

Here are ten tips that might help…

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For most of us food is more than just the nourishment needed for our survival, it’s also an emotional roller coaster (with many ups and downs).  One slice of chocolate cake can take us from desire, to exhilaration, to satisfaction, and often land us right into guilt.  Which is exactly why they call it a guilty pleasure.  But should we really feel guilty for eating something simply for the pleasure of it?  Of course not.  So why do we?

I’ll be the first person to admit that sometimes it’s easy to get sucked into that (post indulging) guilt.  But the truth is, the guilt can actually be the catalyst that spirals us into more emotional eating and even more guilt.  The remedy is to not allow yourself to fall victim to overeating guilt from the start.

When you make a mistake, treat yourself with kindness.

As with everything in life, we need to embrace our imperfections.  And regardless of how committed we are to a particular diet or healthy eating program, we always have to leave room for occasional guilty pleasures.  Try to focus on the “pleasure” part a guilty pleasures.  If you’re going to over indulge, at least enjoy every moment and savor every bite of your indulgence.

Here are some tips to help you avoid overeating and the guilt that often follows…

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January was Thyroid Awareness Month, and since an estimated 20 million Americans have some form of thyroid disease (and up to 60% of them don’t even know it), awareness is more important than ever. Could you be one of the millions unknowingly suffering from this complicated medical condition?

Unfortunately, thyroid disease can be very hard to diagnose.  Not only can blood tests be inconclusive, but the symptoms are often associated with other health problems.

Knowing the symptoms and risk factors for thyroid disease is the best place to start.

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Christmas.  Is it the most wonderful time of the year?  Or the most stressful time of the year?  Would it surprise you to know that 8 out of 10 people suffer some degree of stress during the holiday season?

It’s true.

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Many people start to feel a little melancholy around this time of year, especially right after Christmas. It’s colder, and darker, and there are much less activities to keep us busy.  This early onset of night isn’t so bad when Christmas lights are everywhere you turn.   But when the lights go down, so do many people’s mood.  It’s called Seasonal Affective Disorder, and it makes you SAD.

Seasonal Affective Disorder affects millions of people every year, and for some reason, more women than men.  Are you one of them?  Or do you know someone who suffers with SAD?  The symptoms can be mild to severe, and understanding why this happens is the key to helping yourself or loved ones get through this seasonal depression.

What is Seasonal Affective Disorder?

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Do you know someone who suffers with Alzheimer’s disease?  Or someone who is a caregiver to a loved one with this devastating disease?  If so, you understand the heartache associated with an Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Who are we without our memories of past experiences?  For most of us, the though of losing our memories to Alzheimer’s disease is horrifying.  But there is much more to Alzheimer’s than memory loss.

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